For users with visual, hearing, motor and cognitive impairments, A/B testing and user feedback can help you develop websites and apps.
Great innovations have helped make our lives longer and open up the world to us. User experience has played a big role in this, making online content accessible to the majority. To achieve full accessibility, UX must go an extra mile and focus on an age group that is often overlooked: users over 65.
Internet penetration increased by 371% for people over 65 years of age
It's no secret that internet penetration is close to reaching its full potential, especially considering the population under 50 years of age. Interestingly, the age group with the highest growth rate has increased from 14% to 66% in 2000 to 2018 and these are people over 65 years of age!
But what does it mean? That the users who consume our content online are more diverse than we think, and that different age groups have different goals and needs. In addition, there is another key trend in demographics to consider: the rapidly growing population over 65 years of age. By 2035, people 65+ will become the largest age group
In Western economies, one of the major trends is the aging of the population, which represents a demographic shift that has never happened before. The US Census Bureau estimates that in the US alone, the number of people over 65 is expected to exceed the number of 18-year-olds by 2035. It also represents a significant change in the way web content is consumed, as the user experience we currently offer is often one size fits all and designed to appeal to younger audiences first rather than adapting to a changing one. demographics.
User behavior differs depending on age group
User behavior changes significantly with age. The depth of organic research increases with age, as older users often compare multiple results and even extend the research to other pages rather than just focusing on the results on the first page.
In other words, the way we interact and perceive the web changes as we age, suggesting that to better serve a wider audience, a broader approach should be considered. That's why we've compiled a few key points for improving UX across different age groups, focusing on issues that may be more common as people age, such as vision, hearing, motor and cognitive impairment.
1. Visual
As the population slowly ages, this means that certain visual elements on web pages need to be improved to further improve the overall user experience:
Font. The main thing to keep in mind is font families and font size, which directly affect readability. Generally, 16px is considered an acceptable font size. In terms of font families, also remember to use decorative text sparingly, such as highlighting only key points.
Space and line height. Line height is another key element to improving readability, especially for older users. Since the default HTML line height is too small, it is recommended to add a little more space between lines, increasing it to 140%.
White space can be a good ally and can also make text more legible, reducing stress levels and improving reader attention.
Contrast. To follow the guidelines, it is important to avoid light gray on a white background and limit the use of bright colors (yellow and pink) as much as possible. Modern screens are also useful in this case, making texts easier to read thanks to improved display quality. You can also add high-contrast accessibility buttons.
Images. It's important to remember that adding text to images is not only good for SEO, but also good for readers. Additionally, when optimizing SEO images for images, it is recommended to use alt attributes to add descriptive context to images, making pages more search engine friendly.
Captcha. It's no secret that fake traffic is on the rise, with some estimates reporting that bad bot traffic now accounts for 20% of global traffic. To combat this trend, several (and increasingly complex) CAPTCHAs have been developed in an attempt to limit bot access without harming regular users.
Google has been at the forefront of this battle, helping webmasters fight spambots and other malicious software.
2. Audio
According to the National Institute on Aging, approximately one in three people aged 65-74 have a hearing problem. This is especially true in our context, as the number of videos and podcasts available online will only increase over time. Therefore, it is advisable to make them accessible to everyone.
3.Motor skills
Mobility and dexterity issues are also more common than we think. Online forms can be difficult to fill out at any age, plus the call to action should not be a “one size fits all” but should be tailored to different demographics.
4. Attention
Cognitive impairment affects memory, attention, visual and verbal comprehension. According to statista.com, in 2016, about 4.5% of the US population aged 18 to 64 suffered from some form of cognitive impairment. The same figure peaked at 8.9% for the 65+ age group. Here are some recommendations:
Let's start with the fact that the visual appearance of the page should be free from any interference.
Great innovations have helped make our lives longer and open up the world to us. User experience has played a big role in this, making online content accessible to the majority. To achieve full accessibility, UX must go an extra mile and focus on an age group that is often overlooked: users over 65.
Internet penetration increased by 371% for people over 65 years of age
It's no secret that internet penetration is close to reaching its full potential, especially considering the population under 50 years of age. Interestingly, the age group with the highest growth rate has increased from 14% to 66% in 2000 to 2018 and these are people over 65 years of age!
But what does it mean? That the users who consume our content online are more diverse than we think, and that different age groups have different goals and needs. In addition, there is another key trend in demographics to consider: the rapidly growing population over 65 years of age. By 2035, people 65+ will become the largest age group
In Western economies, one of the major trends is the aging of the population, which represents a demographic shift that has never happened before. The US Census Bureau estimates that in the US alone, the number of people over 65 is expected to exceed the number of 18-year-olds by 2035. It also represents a significant change in the way web content is consumed, as the user experience we currently offer is often one size fits all and designed to appeal to younger audiences first rather than adapting to a changing one. demographics.
User behavior differs depending on age group
User behavior changes significantly with age. The depth of organic research increases with age, as older users often compare multiple results and even extend the research to other pages rather than just focusing on the results on the first page.
In other words, the way we interact and perceive the web changes as we age, suggesting that to better serve a wider audience, a broader approach should be considered. That's why we've compiled a few key points for improving UX across different age groups, focusing on issues that may be more common as people age, such as vision, hearing, motor and cognitive impairment.
1. Visual
As the population slowly ages, this means that certain visual elements on web pages need to be improved to further improve the overall user experience:
Font. The main thing to keep in mind is font families and font size, which directly affect readability. Generally, 16px is considered an acceptable font size. In terms of font families, also remember to use decorative text sparingly, such as highlighting only key points.
Space and line height. Line height is another key element to improving readability, especially for older users. Since the default HTML line height is too small, it is recommended to add a little more space between lines, increasing it to 140%.
White space can be a good ally and can also make text more legible, reducing stress levels and improving reader attention.
Contrast. To follow the guidelines, it is important to avoid light gray on a white background and limit the use of bright colors (yellow and pink) as much as possible. Modern screens are also useful in this case, making texts easier to read thanks to improved display quality. You can also add high-contrast accessibility buttons.
Images. It's important to remember that adding text to images is not only good for SEO, but also good for readers. Additionally, when optimizing SEO images for images, it is recommended to use alt attributes to add descriptive context to images, making pages more search engine friendly.
Captcha. It's no secret that fake traffic is on the rise, with some estimates reporting that bad bot traffic now accounts for 20% of global traffic. To combat this trend, several (and increasingly complex) CAPTCHAs have been developed in an attempt to limit bot access without harming regular users.
Google has been at the forefront of this battle, helping webmasters fight spambots and other malicious software.
2. Audio
According to the National Institute on Aging, approximately one in three people aged 65-74 have a hearing problem. This is especially true in our context, as the number of videos and podcasts available online will only increase over time. Therefore, it is advisable to make them accessible to everyone.
3.Motor skills
Mobility and dexterity issues are also more common than we think. Online forms can be difficult to fill out at any age, plus the call to action should not be a “one size fits all” but should be tailored to different demographics.
4. Attention
Cognitive impairment affects memory, attention, visual and verbal comprehension. According to statista.com, in 2016, about 4.5% of the US population aged 18 to 64 suffered from some form of cognitive impairment. The same figure peaked at 8.9% for the 65+ age group. Here are some recommendations:
Let's start with the fact that the visual appearance of the page should be free from any interference.
